Boat Safety in Florida: Know the Law & Avoid a Boat Accident

The months immediately following Memorial Day are some of the deadliest in terms of boat accidents. Each year, thousands of boating accidents take place across the country, resulting in hundreds of deaths and many more injuries. In Florida, certain safety measures have been put in place to prevent boat accidents.

It Happens Too Often

In May 2011, Sean Kingston, the infamous hip-hop artist, was critically injured in a Florida boat accident. According to the Miami Herald, his vessel crashed into a Miami Beach bridge. A female passenger was also with Kingston at the time of the boat collision. Reportedly, she was injured in the crash too.

Boat Accident Statistics Nationwide

Boat accidents don’t just plague the Florida waterways and coastline. They occur around the country in lakes, rivers and other bodies of water. The U.S. Coast Guard reported that in 2009 alone, there were 4,730 boat accidents. These crashes lead to 736 fatalities and 3,358 injuries.

Very few of these accidents occurred on boats that were operated by people who had been trained on boating safety. In fact, the U.S. Coast Guard stated that merely 14 percent of deaths happened on boats where the operator had been instructed on proper safety. This only proves the importance of boat safety training.

Florida Has Laws to Prevent Boat Accidents

The state of Florida doesn’t take boat safety lightly. There is a law in place that requires boat operators born after September 1980 to take a boating safety course before going out in the water. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Lt. Don McMillen believes that these courses have helped prevent boat accidents.

When a Florida Boat Accident Impacts You

If you or a family member has been hurt in a boat accident in Florida, you may be able to recover compensation. To learn more about your rights and legal options, contact one of the experienced boat accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Vujasinovic & Beckcom by calling (877) 724-7800 or filling out our online form. We will review the details of the accident and explain your legal options.

Be sure to order a FREE copy of boat accident lawyer Brian Beckcom’s book, How to Hire the Best Attorney for Your Maritime Injury Case.